From the Guidelines
Losartan is indicated for the treatment of hypertension, heart failure, and diabetic nephropathy.
Indications for Losartan
- Hypertension: Losartan is used to lower blood pressure in patients with hypertension, including those with left ventricular hypertrophy 1.
- Heart Failure: Losartan is used to reduce the risk of hospitalization for heart failure and to improve symptoms and quality of life in patients with heart failure 1.
- Diabetic Nephropathy: Losartan is used to slow the progression of kidney disease in patients with type 2 diabetes and nephropathy, including those with microalbuminuria or overt nephropathy 1.
Key Benefits of Losartan
- Renoprotective effects: Losartan has been shown to reduce the risk of doubling of serum creatinine and end-stage kidney disease in patients with diabetic nephropathy 1.
- Cardiovascular benefits: Losartan has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events, including stroke and myocardial infarction, in patients with hypertension and heart failure 1.
- Improved survival: Losartan has been shown to improve survival in patients with heart failure 1.
Dosage and Administration
- Hypertension: The recommended starting dose of losartan is 50 mg once daily, with a maximum dose of 100 mg once daily 1.
- Heart Failure: The recommended starting dose of losartan is 25 mg once daily, with a maximum dose of 150 mg once daily 1.
- Diabetic Nephropathy: The recommended starting dose of losartan is 50 mg once daily, with a maximum dose of 100 mg once daily 1.
From the FDA Drug Label
Losartan is indicated for the treatment of hypertension in adults and pediatric patients 6 years of age and older, to lower blood pressure. Losartan is indicated to reduce the risk of stroke in patients with hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy, but there is evidence that this benefit does not apply to Black patients. Losartan is indicated for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy with an elevated serum creatinine and proteinuria (urinary albumin to creatinine ratio ≥300 mg/g) in patients with type 2 diabetes and a history of hypertension.
The indication for losartan is:
- Hypertension: to lower blood pressure in adults and pediatric patients 6 years of age and older
- Hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy: to reduce the risk of stroke
- Nephropathy in type 2 diabetic patients: to treat diabetic nephropathy with an elevated serum creatinine and proteinuria in patients with type 2 diabetes and a history of hypertension 2
From the Research
Indications for Losartan
- Losartan is indicated for the treatment of hypertension and has been shown to be effective in reducing blood pressure in patients with hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy 3, 4, 5.
- It is also indicated for stroke risk reduction in patients with hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy 3, 5.
- Additionally, losartan has been approved for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy with an elevated serum creatinine and proteinuria, in patients with Type 2 diabetes 5.
- Losartan may be used alone or in combination with other antihypertensive agents for the treatment of hypertension 3, 4, 5.
Specific Patient Populations
- Losartan is effective in elderly patients with hypertension, with a similar incidence of treatment-related adverse events compared to other antihypertensive agents 4.
- However, the benefit of losartan in reducing cardiovascular events does not apply to black patients with hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy 3, 5.
- Losartan has been shown to be safe and well-tolerated in patients with heart failure, with a lower withdrawal rate due to adverse events compared to captopril 4.